The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, has called for stronger public collaboration to intensify the fight against human trafficking across Ogun State and the nation at large.
Bello, who was represented by the Ogun State NAPTIP Commander, Bosede Jimoh, made this appeal on Friday during a sensitization walk in Abeokuta to mark the 2024 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The event brought together key stakeholders, including security agencies such as the Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), non-governmental organizations, and others.
The awareness walk, organized in collaboration with the Ogun State Taskforce on Human Trafficking, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, and the Ogun State NAPTIP Command, took participants through major areas in Abeokuta, including Kuto, Isabo, Sapon, Itoku, and Lafenwa markets.
Highlighting this year’s theme, “Human Trafficking Is Organised Crime – End The Exploitation”, Bello urged communities to rise up and support the government in dismantling trafficking networks and holding offenders accountable.
She disclosed that NAPTIP has handled over 50 human trafficking cases in Ogun State since operations began there two years ago, securing three convictions, with seven more cases pending in court and others under active investigation.
“The truth is that Ogun is one of the endemic states in terms of human trafficking based on the numbers of cases that we have received since we came on board in the state in August 2023.
We have handled over 50 cases of human trafficking, ranging from child labour, sextortion, and sales of babies, among others. We have so far secured three convictions, we have seven pending court cases, and other cases are under investigation.
So today, we are telling parents and the community to be careful and observant; they should not fail to report on time cases of suspected human trafficking to NAPTIP.
People must be abreast of the sophistication of human traffickers who are devising all sorts of ways to perpetrate their devilish works. Some of them are family friends, neighbours and acquaintances, so everyone must be watchful so as not to fall victim.
Parents and communities must watch out for the kind of friends their children move with; peer influence is one of the factors fuelling human trafficking. Others are unemployment, dysfunction in families, the get-rich-quick syndrome, ignorance, among others.”
Also speaking during the walk, Professor Olubunmi Ashimolowo, Executive Director of Gender Development Initiative, stressed the need for every Nigerian to play a role in combating human trafficking, describing the situation in Ogun as increasingly worrisome.
She stated: “The perpetrators of human trafficking have gone into primary schools, communities, and even higher institutions to perpetrate their illicit activities against humanity. We want everyone to join us in the fight.
We want people to join hands with the government and other stakeholders to tackle this evil headlong. The community should brace up on reporting any act of human trafficking to the appropriate security agencies and, most especially, NAPTIP.
We find both the children and the elders being kidnapped for organ harvesting, sextortion, drugs and all kinds. The public can call this hotline, 08033469577, for help whenever they have a report to make about human trafficking.
The situation is pathetic in Ogun State because it is usually Edo and Delta that are usually at the peak, but currently research has shown that Ogun State is both a destination and the source when we talk of human trafficking. That is why we have to do something about it and get this thing stopped. Ogun State must not lead in terms of human trafficking. As we speak, Ogun is among the first three states leading in human trafficking.”
Chairman of the Human Trafficking Taskforce in Ogun State, Kolawole Soremi, also expressed concern over the rising trafficking cases but commended the state government for collaborating with stakeholders to confront traffickers and disrupt their operations.
